Improved paddle-wheel



' UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

noLLIN GERFIAIMOF BUFFALO, New YORK. 4

IMPROVED PADDLE-WHEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,807, dated September 8, 1863 antedated i June 30, 1863.

To all whom t may concern: K

Be it known that I, ROLLIN GERMAIN, of the city of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paddle-Wheels `for Vessels for Navigation; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same,`reference being to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, iu which- K Figure I is a side elevation of my improved paddle-wheel. Fig. II is a front elevation. Fig. III is a bottom edge view of the paddle. Fig. IV is a vertical longitudinal section of the paddle in its greatest propelling position, and the highest points of the double-inclined planes. Figs. V and VI are transverse sections of paddles of different forms. Fig. VII represents a hook or bent bar for the purpose of fastening the paddle to the arms .in order to hold the paddle edgewise in the water, M in the same ligure showing a chain and hooks for the same purpose. d

Letters of like name and kind refer to `like parts in each of the figures. c

A represents the sh aft upon which the wheel revolves; B, hub; C W, water line D, arms, which are iirmly connected to the hub and sup-` port the paddles. The wheel may have two sets of arms, as shown inFig.Il,-or but one set, or more than two sets, according to convenience.

Erepresents the upper or inner rim of the wheel. F represents the lower or outer rim of the wheel. These rims are securely fastened to the arms, as represented at f..

G are cross pieces, which connect the two water when turned by the water transversely Vto the rim of the wheel, and operating with its greatest force in rowing or propelling the rims and serve as braces. H H H2 are the paddles. These are made thick and stron g in the middle, and taper each way from the middle to an edge, asshown in A Figs. III and IV, and are suspendedor hung upon a paddle-shaft, I. Each paddle revolves upon its respective shaft l, and will slip or slide freely thereon longitudinally, as hereinafter more particularly described. The paddles have journal-boxes or bearings within, as shown at t' z', and at one or more intermediate points, if necessary, through which the shaft passes, so that the paddle will revolve freely thereonand With but little friction. The paddleshafts are trmly attached to the inner andiouter rims of the wheel, as seen at J and J', and make a,

strong connection between the same.

K is a double circular inclined plane firmly `attached to the outer rim of the wheel, where l 'i the paddleshaftsconnectwith the same. Op-

posite to this,"upon the other side of therim,` l

and also .rmly attached to it, is another similar double-inclined plane. These Itwo doubleinclined planes form together :a circuit around the endof thepaddleshaft, the shaft standing in the center of the circuit, and the highest points orsummits of these'planes being placed so that a straight line drawn from oneto theL I other would pass laterally through` the shaft and be at or nearly at right angles to the rim of the wheel, and thelowest points of depression of these planes, on either side of the shaft, being so that a line drawn from ,one point of lowest depression to the other would pass through the shaft laterally` and parallel, or nearly so, to the rim of the wheel.

L represents friction-rollers inserted into the paddle on each side of its shaft, and slightly projecting from the lower edgelof the paddle.

The axles of vthese are in line with the length of the paddle, as seen in Figs. III and IV.n The paddles resting mainly upon the friction. rollers, and the friction-rollers bearing upon the inclined planes, the rollers will roll up and downthe inclined planes in a free and gentle manner, as hereinafter more fully described.

v H shows the position of the paddle in the air when the wheel is revolving.

HZ shows the position ofthe paddle a little below the surface Vof the water in the act of entering or emerging therefrom.

H shows the position of the paddle inthe vessel.

M, Fig. VII, shows a rod, hook, or bent bar, i Y

which may be readily slipped onto (or off from( the arms and across the face ofthe paddle, in order to prevent the paddle from revolving heavily in the water while the vessel is in motion under sail or by duplicate wheels.v

M', in the same fgurefshows a chain with but all involving the same principle, and I therefore do not limit myself to the particular devices described.

Operation: As the paddles slip longitudinally freely upon their shafts, it is obvious that when they are below the horizontal diameter of the wheel they tend by their gravity with more or less force toward or to press against the lowest points of depression' between the circular inclined planes. When the wheel is revolving, this tendency or pressure is increased by the curtrifugal force acting upon the paddle, and is greater or less proportioned to velocity. When the centrifugal torce-is greater than the weight of the paddle, the pressure of the paddle upon the lowest points of .depression will continue through the entire revolution of the Wheel,

unless prevented by the water or air turning therpaddle, and thus forcing it up the inclined planes, and from the position of thesel points of lowest depression, and ofthe frictionrollers, when resting upon these points, it is in position to be carried edgewise through the air by the revolving Wheel. as seen at H. The outer corners of the paddles being slightly turned or deflected, as seen in Fig. III. it will strike the water as it enters with a glancing blow, or encounter a greater resistance from the water upon one face of its entering Wing than upon the other. This will begin to open or turn the paddle, which turning will obviously continue until arrested by a counterbalancing resistance upon the other wing.

Were the two win gs of the paddle of the same shape equal in area and alike in facial angles, thefwater would turn the paddle until its length would be at right angles with the rim of the wheel, if it were not for the modifying iniiuence hereinafter described; but as the corner ofthe entering wing is turned from the water, and that of the other toward it, as seen in Fig. III, it is evident that the pressure of the Water upon the two wings will be equalized a little before the rectangular position above mentioned is reached, and as the paddle is turned by the water it slips upon its shaft toward the inner rim of the wheel, rolling up the circular inclined planes on its friction rollers. This is against its weight and centrifugal force, and the force Which produces this is obviously the greaterepressure of the Water on the entering or forward wing of the paddle over that of the other wing. Said weight and centrifugal force, therefore, also tend to arrest the turning motion of the paddle before the above-mentioned rectangular position is reached, so that the paddles, in their ordinary action, will not be turned quite to a rightangle with the rim of the wheel; but when their turning motion is arrested the friction-rollers will stand on opposite sides and near the summits of the circular inclined planes, as seen in Fig. IV. The face of the entering wing toward the water will be turned to a position very nearly at right angles with the rim, and the paddle be held in that position until it begins to rise to the surface of the water. As one Wing of the paddle thus stands a little ahead of the other, it is obvious that as the paddle rises toward the surface of the water the body of water pressed by the rear wing will begin to be greater than that pressed by the other, and that this inequality will continually augmentl until the paddle emerges therefrom or is turned so as to glide edgewise out of the water; but this inequality of pressure, which tends to turn the paddle so as to emerge edgewise, acts in conjunction with the centrifugal force of the paddle n and its gravity, which, byf'tending to force it down the planes, serves to turn it to the same position or in the same direction, and it is evident that the paddles thus turned quickly to this position will not at oncebe arrested at the points of lowest depression between the planes, but be revolved by their vmomentumbeyond and rise a little upon the opposite planes, and be arrested and forced back by their centrifugal force and gravitation, andV that this action and reaction will occur a number of times in quick succession, but with lessening violence, and give to the emerging paddle a shaking or vibratory motion, and thus tend to shake off the cohesive fluid. As the force of the air is feeble to open the paddle as compared with that of the water, the centrifugal force of the paddle will, at any ordinary velocity of the wheel, hold the paddle firmly when passing through the air at the foot of the inclined planes, and thus cause it to pass edgewise through the atmosphere. Should the paddle be turned so as to be balanced upon the highest points of the inclined planes, a very slight disturbing force will destroy the balance, and thegcauses above mentioned will force it rapidly down the inclined planes in one or the other direction, and it is of no importance which. It will be perceived that the paddle can revolve freely round the shaft in either direction, and should it, while open or transverse to the rim ofthe wheel, encounter any formidable obstruction to either wing, it will yield to it and slip by without injury; and it may be further observed that as the paddles stand behind the arms and the outer rim when entering the water they are l greatly protected thereby from injurious contact with solids that may be in the track of the Wheel. The corners of the paddles are turned or deflected in opposite directions, as seen in Fig. III, so that they will open the same way by a reversed or by av forward motion ofthe wheel. They may be turned or deflected in the same direction, in which event the paddles would turn or revolve in a different direction by a reversed motion` of the wheel. As the object of deecting the' corners` of the paddles is to cause them to strike the water with a glancing blow, a similar result may be produced by turning or deflecting the other corners or some intermediate edge in either direction,'except that the act of turning the paddle would not begin as early; or one side of the paddle, thick in the middle and tapering each way therefrom, may have the reverse side flat, as seen in Fig. VI, and be so hung that when resting upon the lowest points of depression between the inclmed planes the dat side shall be parallel with the rims of the wheel; or the same 0bject may be secured by other means than those above described-as, for instance, the paddle may be so hung that when resting upon the lowest points of depression between the inclined planes one wing of the paddle that first enters the water shall have agreater angle-,to the rim of the wheel than the other; or the facial angles on one side of the paddle may be greater than the other, in all which cases the paddle in entering the Water would strike it with a glancing blow, or meet with a greater resistance from it on one face of the wing than upon the other, which would cause it te be turned by the water, as above described.

The circular inclined planes may be made more or less steep, according to the high or low velocity contemplated of the wheel. One double-inclined plane is all that is necessary to secure the desired action of the paddle. Two, however, as shown in the drawings, are, for obvious reasons, preferable. A similar action to that secured by the circular inclined planes may be produced by means of a spiral thread or threads formed upon the paddleshaft, and corresponding ones in that part of the paddle which eucircles it, so formed as to cause the paddle to rise and fall in a similar way as that caused by the inclined planes; or the paddles may be so suspended from the inner rim by chains or cords attached to them near their shafts that their centrifugal force and gravity shall tend to hold them in position to pass edgewise through the air when the wheel is revolving. Thus suspended, it

is obvious Athat their action would be similar to that above described, with the exceptionithat their rotary action upon their shafts in either direction would be limited.

The paddles may be fixed to revolving shafts, which shafts may revolve upon gudgeons or journal-boxes xed to the inner and` outer rims of the wheel, and so made to rise and fall upon inclined planes or threads at one or the other extremity of their shafts, or by being suspended by 'cords or chains to the rims or other parts of the wheel, and by various other methods essentially the same in principle as those above described, and be made to act in asimilar manner to that above described. Therefore I do not wish to be lim ited to the circular inclined planes above described, nor to paddles revolving upon fixed shafts, but wish to include all such other' modes of securing the action of the paddle above described and above mentioned, wherein centrifugal force and gravity ofthe paddle and the resistance of the water to the pressure of the paddle are the chief agencies in producingr such action, and such modifications thereof calculated to produce similar results as do not depart from the principles of my` invention.

The main feature of my invention consists in applying the laws of centrifugal force, gravitation, and the inertia of the water to effect the following objects, to wit: First, by the centrifugal force of the paddles of the revolvin g wheel acting some of the time against their gravity, and at others in conjunction with it, to cause the paddles to assume a position and to be held therein so as to pass edgewise through the air, and to strike edgewise into the water; second, by the resistance of the water to the paddles to cause them to turn as they enter and advance in the water against vtheir gravity and centrifugal force to a position transverse to or nearly at right angles to the rims of the wheel, and to hold that transverse position until they begin to rise to the surface of the water; third, by the inertia of the water, the centrifugal force ot' the paddles, and their gravity acting conjointly upon the paddles as they begin to rise to the surface of the water, to cause them to turn so as to glide edgewise from the water, and with a shaking or vibratory motion. Therefore I claim-' l. Supporting and operating the paddle upon a shaft, I, whether said shaft is stationary or revolving, so that the paddle may be left free to be moved outwardly toward the periphery of the wheel, and edgewise to its line of motion by centrifugal force, or to be moved transversely to the rim of the wheel by the action of the water as the wheel revolves, substantially as described.

2. The circular inclined planes K, double or single, for the purposes and substantially as described.

3. The circular inclined planes K, in combination with the paddle, for the purposes and substantially as herein set forth.

4. The friction-rollers L, in combination with the paddle, for the purposes and substantially as described.

5. Holding the paddle stationary in a position parallel with the direction of the vessel, when desired, by means of the hook M, chain M', or by other means substantially the same, for t-he purposes set forth.

6. So hanging the paddle upon its shaft that an outward movement willV be communicated to the paddle by centrifugal power and an inward movement by the action of the water thereon, for the purposes and substantiall y as set forth.

ROLLIN GERMAIN.

Witnesses:

E. B. FonBUsH, E. OsBoaNE. 

